Trial & Error
by obliviousworlds
Summary: Pre Series- Sick Sam - mean, and later worried and guilty Dean- Because Dean thinks it's pretty unfair that his dad is making him stay home and watch his sick little brother. Sam is twelve, why does he still need a baby sitter? Dean/16


"Dean, I need you to watch your brother."

Dean wants to pull his hair out when he hears his father's words. He's been hearing it for years now and it pisses him off when his dad thinks the damn sentence isn't drilled into his head already.

And, wait a second. Sam's fucking twelve years old. Why does he still need a baby sitter?

"Dad I had plans." Dean tells him and looks up from the table. "With friends. You know?"

John looks at his oldest and sighs. "I know you did Dean, but I've found a hunt I really need to take care of tonight."

"Why can't Sam stay by himself? He's done it before. He can take care of himself." Dean argues and crosses his arms. If his dad makes him stay home tonight, then he's calling it unfair.

"He's sick." John answers, and as if on cue, Sam let's out a cough from the room down the hall.

Just fucking great.

"So..." John goes on saying. "I need you to watch your brother."

Dean sighs and throws his hands up in the air. "This isn't fair! I make new friends in this god forsaken town , and I can't even go out with them. Why can't we just come on the hunt with you then?"

"Dean, it's the middle of January and Sam's sick enough. I'm not gonna make it worse just because you don't want to stay behind."

Dean scoffs. "He isn't even my kid. He's _yours_, therefore he's _your _responsibility."

John turns his face to look at his oldest and gives him a harsh look. He knows Sam is his responsibility, so is Dean. But he can't just sit back and let innocent people die, those innocent people could be his boys, and he just won't have it.

"Enough Dean. Do as I say and watch out for your brother. I don't want a repeat of what happened with that Striga. Do you understand?"

Dean winces at his father's words and nods. If you ask him, bringing that up and using it against him isn't fair. So he messed up once, he still takes care of Sam all the freakin time while his dad goes off on hunts and doesn't even give a damn about them.

"I'll be back soon." Are his dad's last words before he walks out of the door of the small rental house.

"Whatever." Dean mumbles and looks up when he hears Sam cough again. He stands up and walks to the room he and Sam share and glances down at the mop of brown hair peaking out of the blanket and sighs.

"Leave."

Dean squints and takes a seat on the bed and pulls down the blanket to reveal his brother's very flushed face. "What?"

"Leave." Sam says again. "Your right. I don't need anyone to take care of me."

"Your sick."

"It's a cold. I'm not dying."

Dean thinks for a moment. What could go wrong anyways? Sam knows how to take care of himself, and he's been training harder than ever before, so what would be wrong with leaving him for a few hours anyways.

"Yeah. Okay. I'll be back in a few." Dean says and grabs his phone to text his friends. "Stay in bed." He calls out as he walks out the door.

Sam curls up on his side and feels his eyes film up with tears. He may have told Dean to go, but he never thought he actually would.

* * *

Dean's having problems of his own. Yeah, he's out with his friends at the bowling alley, and he's even got a pretty blonde sitting on his lap.

He just can't get Sam out of his head.

He was fucking _sick _and he just left him back at the house by himself. If dad finds out, he'll be dead for sure, but if anything happens to Sam and he's not there, well...

Dean doesn't think he could live with himself.

"Dean?" Alli, or that's what Dean thinks her name is, is saying and putting her hands on his face. "You alright?"

Dean doesn't think he can answer her.

"Hey man. What's with you? Your being a real downer tonight." Jake tells him and scowls when he digs his phone out of his pocket. "Your kid brother again? Come on, can't you just leave him for one night?"

"Shut up." Dean growls and sends a glare up towards him. "Shut up or I'll make you shut up."

Jake backs down and rolls his eyes with the other guys and walks away.

"I gotta go." Dean announces and when Alli makes no move to get off of him, he stands up and she falls to the floor.

"Hey!" Dean can hear her scream out, but he's already walking towards the exit. He's gotta make it up to Sammy.

* * *

"Sam?" Dean calls out when he steps foot inside the house. It's late, but he wasn't gone that long.

He swallows hard when he doesn't get an answer.

"Sam." He says again and walks back down the hall; Just like he did an hour before.

He sighs of relief when he sees Sam laying in the bed, propped up on a mountain of pillows, and watching a movie on the dvd player in their room. He thinks he can finally tell his heart to slow down.

Sam glances up at him and then back at the t.v.

Dean gives him a hurt look before climbing in the bed with him and laying down next to him. He winces when he places a hand on his forehead and feels how much heat is coming off his body.

Sam sniffs and coughs before looking back at the screen; further ignoring his brother.

"You mad at me?" Dean asks and places an arm around his brother. Sam scoffs.

"If it helps. I didn't have any fun, I was to worried about you. I'm sorry." Dean whispers in his ear making Sam look up at him. Sam gives him a smile and doesn't say anything when Dean places a kiss on his forehead and lays back down with him.

"Where the red fern grows?" Dean asks as he recognizes the movie on the screen.

"Couldn't find anything else." Sam says quietly.

But that's alright with Dean, and Sam smiles again when Dean sheds a tear at the end after the dogs die.

* * *

The next morning, Sam's better. He isn't as warm as he was, and that just makes Dean feel so much better about himself.

He runs a hand through a still sleeping Sam's hair and smiles. Why on earth did he want to go out with friends and not take care of his brother anyways?

"Dean?"

Dean glances up when he hears his name being called out softly. "Hey dad."

"He okay?"

"Yeah. Hunt go alright?"

John smiles and nods. "I'm proud of you Dean. Taking care of your brother and all."

Guilt hits Dean in the stomach and he swallows hard and nods. "Yeah, me too."

"Go on back to sleep for a bit. I'm gonna go out and get some breakfast for us. Alright?"

Dean nods. "Dad?" He calls out before his dad walks away.

"Yeah?"

Dean smiles a bit and goes back to carding his fingers through his little brother's hair. "I get it now."

John gives him a confused look.

"Sam's my responsibility." Dean answers him and lets his cheek rest on top of Sam's head. "And I wouldn't trade it for the world."

* * *

_Fin._

_I had to have some brotherly love happen :D_


End file.
